September 01, 2010

Peace campaigners insist that the former PM should be indicted at the war crimes tribunal in the Hague

Peace campaigners insist that the former PM should be indicted at the war crimes tribunal in the Hague

Tony Blair, the man who took Britain to war on a false premise and co-founder of the discredited new Labour project, has released his memoirs amid a storm of criticism.

The self-pitying former prime minister remained unrepentant at his decision to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, offering scant relief to relatives of dead civilians and British service personnel.

"I feel desperately sorry for them, sorry for the lives cut short, sorry for the utterly unfair selection that the loss should be theirs," he gushed.

He also reiterated his belief that Labour must not be allowed to swing to the left, appearing to defend the Con-Dem coalition cuts.

But predictions that the release of Mr Blair's book would lead to huge queues outside shops proved out of touch with the public mood as only a handful were sold in the first few hours.

Not content with his 10 years as PM, Mr Blair used the platform of his memoir launch to interfere in current affairs, encouraging Western leaders to attack Iran.

"I am saying that I think it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear weapons capability and I think we have got to be prepared to confront them, if necessary militarily," he said.

Anti-war campaigners and unions rounded on the former premier, holding him responsible for over a million deaths in Iraq and the destruction of the welfare state.

In the wake of Washington's claim that combat operations in Iraq were over, Iraqi Democrats Against the Occupation secretary Sabah Jawad said his country had been left a "poisonous place" by depleted uranium and other chemical weapons.

Stop the War Coalition convener Lindsey German called for Mr Blair to be indicted at the war crimes tribunal in the Hague but admitted it would be difficult as only a recognised nation state could refer him to the world court.

And spokesman Chris Nineham warned that a war with Iran would be "even more disastrous" than the previous two.

"Once again he is making unsubstantiated claims about a foreign country's attack capabilities without evidence, because there is none," he said.

In a BBC interview, Mr Blair rehashed new Labour economic spin, declaring that the party should only oppose the "composition of the Tory deficit reductions" not the cuts themselves.

"Big-state politics today will fail. In fact, if you offer small-state versus big-state, small will win," he said.

But Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley said: "No matter what Tony Blair says in his book, Britain lost faith in new Labour.

"The Iraq war is a stain on this nation and new Labour pandered to the casino capitalists in the city."

RMT general secretary Bob Crow added: "Blair could have taken the side of millions of working people against the greed and corruption of the bankers and speculators.

"Instead he sided with the rich and his legacy will always be of a warmonger whose instincts are to follow the trail of cash."Stop the War will gather outside the Waterstones book store in Piccadilly Circus from 12 noon next Wednesday to protest against Mr Blair's book signing.